Saturday, March 24, 2012

BOOK OF MORMON

Reason 33

     Doctrine & Covenants 42:12
And again, the elders, priests and teachers of this church shall teach the principles of my gospel, which are in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, in the which is the fulness of the gospel.

     carm.org
Joseph Smith said "that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book," (History of the Church, vol. 4, p. 461). Allegedly it was translated by the power of God. Nevertheless, it has some 4,000 changes in it. Some are mere spelling corrections, but others are significant changes. Why is this so if the book of Mormon was translated accurately by the hand of God? Why would the Mormon church continue to change the work even after Joseph Smith's death?

I believe God gets everything correct the very first time. Looking back on my Mormon days, I had many doubts about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. I trusted it was true because I wanted it to be true. All my LDS friends had no doubts, so why should I?

The Bible tells us to test the Scriptures for truth; don't trust feelings.
     Deuteronomy 13:14
then you shall inquire, search out, and ask diligently. And if it is indeed true and certain that such an abomination was committed among you,

     Acts 17:11
These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.

     1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God;

The LDS missionaries tell those investigating the church to trust feelings to know if the Book of Mormon is true. Now that I am an ex-mormon, I trust the facts to know what is true. The following facts are from godandscience.org, Truth in Love Ministries - Jeff Smith, utlm.org, The Bible, and the Book of Mormon.

Most cities referenced in the Bible have been located.
No Mormon cities have been located.

Archaeologists at the Smithsonian Institution see no archaeological support for the Book of Mormon.
A Mormon scholar at Brigham Young University, Dr. Ray Matheny, said there is a great lack of archaeological evidence for historical accounts in the Book of Mormon. Reasoning from the Scriptures with the Mormons, by Ron Rhodes & Marian Bodine, p. 128.

Many Biblical names have been found in inscriptions.
No Mormon names have been found in inscriptions. 

Archaeologists have successfully used the Bible as a guide in locating ancient ruins, and they still do.
Archaeologists have never successfully used the Book of Mormon as a guide in locating ancient ruins.

The Bible was translated from Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. These languages are taught in today's universities.
The Book of Mormon was translated from "reformed Egyptian." Nothing on the western hemisphere has been found that even remotely resembles Egyptian. Officially "reformed Egyptian" does not exist.

The English Bible is supported by thousands of Greek and Hebrew manuscripts along with at least two complete copies of the Bible from 300 A.D. All manuscripts are available to the public at any time.
There are no manuscripts or "reformed Egyptian" writings available. None of the "gold Nephite plates" exist to examine and compare the English translation of the Book of Mormon.

The Book of Mormon does not contain current Mormon Doctrine such as:

  • Mormon church organization
  • The Aaronic priesthood
  • Plurality of Gods
  • God is an exalted man
  • Men may become gods
  • Three degrees of glory, or three kingdoms
  • Plurality of wives
  • Celestial marriage
  • Temple ceremonies, endowments, and oaths
  • Baptism for the dead
  • Word of wisdom
  • Preexistence
  • Eternal progression
  • Genealogy
Feelings can easily deceive a person. Religion should not be based on feelings. Approaching Mormons in Love, Wilbur Lingle, p. 165.

     ldsvideo.org



In the future, instead of listening to my heart and feelings about religion, I will listen to facts and reason such as:
No evidence
No maps
Not Revelation from God

My unanswered question was:

How could the Book of Mormon be the fullness of the gospel and the most correct of any book on earth when most of their teachings are not even in the BoM?

I was initially devastated when I received this answer that the Book of Mormon is not revelation from God nor the most correct book on earth nor the fullness of the gospel, yet overjoyed to find the truth that the only book I will ever need is The Bible!